Boise Wins Fiesta AGAIN!!! Antoine Turner Gets A Ring

((HT: KTVB-TV))

Bryan Harsin, the new Boise State head coach, went into the Chris Peterson playbook for a good dose of irony in their 38-30 win over Arizona in Glendale on New Year's Eve.

He even pulled out the reverse "Statue of Liberty" play for a TD in a handoff to Jay Ajayi for ther second of his three runs for score on the day.

The point was made that Boise is the Gonzaga of college football- it doesn't matter who they play, the Broncos get their pounds of flesh in whatever bowl game they play, regardless of opponent.

But one of the cool stories for Boise is that of Antoine Turner- the homeless junior college star that ended up getting a competitive waiver from the NCAA to be able to have a roof over his head, enroll in school and get playing for the university.

A great young man and a greater story...

Here's the interview with Turner off the win at the end of the longest season of football he has ever had...

Boise Gets To Help Homeless Future Football Player After All

((HT: KTVB-TV))

Antoine Turner is, for all intents and purposes, homeless- and he has to be...

Or, to be more accurate thankfully, "had" to be...

He is set to graduate from Fullerton (CA) College in a week or so and was going to head to Boise State to play football. But, because of the antiquated NCAA rules (who knew, right...?), he could not get any kind of advanced aid from Boise State University- his future home for education and football. Fans or boosters couldn't give him any kind of aid, either, because it would be construed as an improper benefit.

To recap: he lost his mom from cancer at the age of 4. His dad was no help and he got involved in the gangs in New Orleans. He was a runner for a while, but found football as an escape. He got a scholarship to play JuCo football in California, slept on park benches, and eventually found a roof over his head with his girlfriend's uncle.

But, once he got his scholarship to Boise, he has to leave the government-subsidized housing. He would either sleep in a motel when his girlfriend's family had money or in her car.

Here's the initial feature done by KTVB on Turner.

Public outcry and a profound lack of common sense in the situation got the NCAA to look at the 6-week gap in school transitions and, FINALLY, grant a waiver...

Jim Tust gets to show us that logic occasionally even gets to the NCAA

The HQ would like to thank the NCAA...

For everything...

Boise All Out Of Sorts In Hawai'i

((HT: KTVB-TV))

The HQ figured that, without your starting QB, Boise would have their hands full with Oregon State in Hawai'i on Christmas Eve.

And we were right...

Rashaad Reynolds returned two fumbles for touchdowns...

Two... and we know how difficult it is to return one...

And Oregon State set several records in handing Boise State their worst loss in two months. Brandin Cooks had 60 yards receiving and a touchdown to set a Pac-12 record for most receiving yards in season. QB Sean Mannion set another for passing yards in a season after going 24-for-33, 259 yards and the TD to Cooks in a 38-23 win.

Here's the highlights...

Boise State's Southwick Not Happy Being Sent Home...

((HT: KTVB-TV))

Boise State QB Joe Southwick was sent home two days before the Hawai'i Bowl for what was alleged as (something along the line of) peeing off a hotel balcony...

A Boise State spokesman confirmed that both Southwick and redshirt freshman quarterback Nick Patti missed the Broncos Friday afternoon practice due to "team violations."

Patti has since been reinstated, but Southwick wasn't...

He has even gone as far as taking a polygraph saying he did nothing wrong...

But the ex-starting QB says it turned into three people against one in pinning down who allagedly did what...

Here's Southwick's interview with KTVB...
Boise State issued a statement: "We investigated the matter with university administrators, coaching staff, a law enforcement official, hotel security and student-athletes. We made the decision to send the student-athlete home, and we stand by this difficult decision."
Interesting to see what happens next...

DEVELOPING: Petersen Reportedly To U-Dub

((HT: KTVB-TV))

After years of turning down better gigs at the top of his momentum curve, Boise State University head coach Chris Petersen looks to be heading to the University of Washington...

Petersen had been linked to bigger schools in, mainly, western US programs. But it had been believed that Petersen has turned down jobs in the past because of the notion that the treatment of his special needs child kept him in Boise- a place where the treatment could be continuous.

From Joe Schad at ESPN through his Twitter:

Chris Petersen is ready for a new challenge and views the professional and family timing and UW destination as the perfect next step

Here's the reports out of Boise...

Petersen is expected to be one of the highest paid coaches in the Pac-12 Conference when he signs...

We Have Our First Bowl Bid... And BYU Has It As Cougs Beat Boise

((HT: 4Utah.com))

Taysom Hill had over 400 yards of total offense, but more importantly, what has happened to Boise State these days...???

The Cougars knocked off Boise 37-20 last night and accepted a bid to the Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco in late December.
BYU also snaps the Broncos 50-game October win streak that dated back to 2001...

Here's your highlights...


“We’re thrilled that BYU will be playing in this year’s Fight Hunger Bowl,” FHB Executive Director Gary Cavalli said after the game. “When BYU announced it was going independent a few years ago, we were in contact with Tom Holmoe about 30 seconds later to offer an opportunity to play in our bowl. BYU has one of the country’s proudest athletic traditions, a tremendous fan base and a great bowl history. We anticipate a terrific matchup on December 27 with a quality Pac-12 opponent.”

BYU has been bowl eligible in each of the nine seasons under head coach Bronco Mendenhall- going 6-2...

Derek Carr Leads Fresno State Rally To Defeat Boise State 41-40

Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr not only wanted a win over Boise State to stop the Bulldogs seven game losing streak to the Broncos, he wanted some redemption for his big brother David.

Twelve years ago the then 8th ranked Bulldogs lost a heart breaker to Boise State 35-31 and ending Fresno State's claim as the first BCS buster.

Down by six late in the fourth quarter Derek Carr rallied Fresno State for the go-ahead touchdown with just over two minutes left to give the Bulldogs a 41-40 win over Boise State.




After the game the Carr brothers shared a very special moment.

Derek Carr was heard screaming into his brother David's ear that win was for him.

"I remember when we lost (back in 2001), he was like, 'What? I've got to fix that,' " David Carr said. "Every story has ups and downs. Every story has struggles, right?

"He completed the story."

Derek Carr and his Bulldog teammates ended a long seven years of frustration from the Broncos in front of the first sellout crowd  at home since 2008.

"What a great win for our school." Derek Carr said.  "What a great win for our fans and for our community. It was phenomenal."

"Our guys never lost faith and found a way to get it done."  Fresno State head coach Tim DeRuyter said.

"We made too many errors just across the board. Boise State head coach Chris Peterson said.  "We could point the finger in a lot of different directions. When playing a good team we can't make those type of errors."

Fresno State is 3-0 for the first time in nine years.  The Bulldogs play Hawaii next week.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/09/21/3509946/little-carr-settles-score.html#storylink=cpy

Late Friday CFB: Boise St. Rolls on Air Force

Nothing can stop the U.S Air Force, but apparently the Boise State Broncos can at least slow down their football team.

The Broncos struggled early and pulled away late, walking away with a 42-20 win over the Falcons on the Smurf Turf.

Boise St QB Joe Southwick went 27-29 and 287 yards passing, but the star of the night was RB Jay Ajayi who ran for 125 and 4 scores.

The Broncos, now 2-1,  bounced back from an embarrassing 38-6 loss to Washington and a 63-14 practice game win over Tennessee-Martin and looked like they were ready to get back into the Top 25.

They have another Friday night game coming up next week vs. Fresno State.

Your game wrap from the Folks at ESPN:

DEVELOPING: Boise Staying In Mountain West (UPDATED With $$$ Details)

((HT: Brett McMurphy))

And, because of that, San Diego State won't have to pay an exit fee if they decide to leave the Big East Conference and return west themselves...

Until we have more info on this whole thing, here's highlights from Boise State's win over Washington in Las Vegas...
((HT: KTVB-TV))
McMurphy also says that Boise will still have to pay their $10-million exit fee. Maybe, they can go halfsies with the Aztecs... We have more from the Mountain West their own selves... MWC Commish Craig Thompson, in Hawai'i for the Diamond Head Classic, told Mark Zeigler of the San Diego Union-Tribune when asked about SDSU: “It’s not by any particular design that we haven’t talked to San Diego State,” Thompson said. “Maybe it’s a cat and mouse kind of deal. Boise State has been more active in this. It’s not obstinance on anyone’s part. Whenever it’s time, if it’s time, it will happen … I would have no issue talking with San Diego State if something were to develop. “To be honest, we’re just trying to figure all this out. Schools have their reasons for leaving for the Big East. Maybe they’re still valid today, maybe they’re not. But I think some schools – maybe not only Boise State – are re-evaluating that decision.” And, according to Brian Murphy at the Idaho Statesman and his Twitter: Boise State will remain in Mountain West. League will guarantee the rights to Boise State home FB games that are sold as separate package.

Boise Back To Mountain West...???

That's the conventional wisdom, and for them, it would make the most sense...

The dissolving of the Big East Conference in basketball with the planned exit of the so-called "Catholic 7" is creating some discord with the inbound football-playing schools- and now it looks like Boise State is thinking about jumping back to where they were.


Why...???

Under the new post-season system, the Mountain West has as much stroke as the Big East does. The Big East's TV deal is in a large amount of doubt and discussion since it would take place starting in 2014- the season in which a lot of the schools are looking to leave, relocate, and/or not hang out with the Big East anymore.

Evidence of concern is hyah...thanks, KIVI-TV in Boise...

At the same time, it appears that the Big east is reaching out to UNLV and Fresno State to join if the western additions turn into abstentions. The idea of them joining seems somewhat far-fetched since there doesn't seem to be any kind of added benefit. San Diego State is still in play since they haven't decided to go back to where they were or not at present.

Meanwhile, when was the last time you heard about Boise and Washington squaring off in a defensive battle in Las Vegas...???
((HT: KBOI-TV))

How 'Bout A Do-Over...??? Boise, San Diego, and BYU Looking At Mountain West...???

Not that this is a surprise...

But Brett McMurphy over at the four-letter is saying those three- currently in the Big East and an independent for football are looking at the Mountain West Conference for a home now...

When the new alignment that the Big East came out with (two divisions really spread apart), the HQ could see completely and totally why...

Add to that the idea that the Bee-Cee-Ess commissioners voted that the highest-rated non Power Conference would have the same weight as the Big East champ and you can see why it would be a lot cheaper and geographically desirable for them to stay out west.

For BYU, they would have to leave their deal with ESPN on the table. For the other two, there would have to be an exit fee- supposedly $10-million- that would be challenged in court, certainly...

Brian Murphy caught up with Boise AD Mark Coyle after their Senior Day game for his piece in the Idaho Statesman:

“In the 11 months I’ve been here, we’ve talked about how all of us are trying to make long-term decisions with a shifting foundation. That foundation continues to shift for all programs, not just Boise State,” Coyle said. “I think that’s one of the challenging aspects of this job across the country for all ADs. You’re trying to make long-term decisions on a shifting landscape.”

Oh, did we mention that the Big East's TV deal is in play now that ESPN let the negotiating window pass...???

Here's Coyle talking about the move to the Big East back when that happened...
((HT: KTVB-TV))

Boise State Survives At New Mexico 32-29

The past few years the New Mexico Lobos has been the butt of many jokes here at the OSG HQ and the poster child as to how to ruin a football program.

Well the Lobos almost had the last laugh Saturday in Albuquerque against the mighty Boise State Broncos. 

Boise State ran off 25 unanswered points in the first half and it looked it another blow out at UMN’s expense.

Well things have changed in Lobo-land.  New Mexico took advantage of a pair of Bronco turnovers and turned those into touchdowns.  Then the Boise State defense couldn’t figure out New Mexico’s triple option offense directed by Lobo quarterback Cole Gautsche.

Gautsche led UNM to four touchdowns but Boise State’s first half roar lingered to hold on over the Lobos 32-29.

Here’s a game report. (Thanks KTVB, Boise, ID)

Boise State Wins With Defense Over BYU 7-6

How can you tell the defense was dominant for both teams, a touchdown by a nose guard was the difference in the game.

Early in the third quarter Boise State nose guard Mike Atkinson intercepted a Riley Nelson pass and took to the distance 36 yards for the Broncos only touchdown.  Atkinson did a little free lancing to get the pick six.

“I wasn’t really supposed to drop…it just worked perfectly.” Atkinson said.  “We always talk about getting interceptions – we’re going to take it to the house no matter what.”

It was one of many big plays by the Bronco defense, who forced three turnovers from the BYU offense all interceptions from BYU quarterback Riley Nelson.

Nelson’ backup freshman Taysom Hill guided the Cougars to their only touchdown late in the fourth quarter.  Hill took the ball in the end zone from four yards.

BYU decided to go for the win and try a two point conversion.  That wasn’t successful.

“We got the call and we went in and did our best to execute.”  Hill said. “ It’s a tough environment; we had the momentum there so I don’t blame Coach [Bronco] Mendenhall for doing it. It’s just a tough break.”

Boise State prevails over BYU 7-6.  Here’s the highlights (Thanks KTVB Boise, ID)

Notre Dame and The ACC: What it means to you

So. Galactic Realignment of the college football world keeps going for the jugular. Each move seems to top the other and they all seem to signal the end.

But will it?

Much has already been made about the ACC/Notre Dame marriage and we give total and complete props to the ACC and John Swofford for staving off elimination by doing this.

Because both parties here benefit from this.

How? The ACC will not be going away. And they aren't going to be raided by someone else.

The reason: Lost in the hullabaloo over the agreement, a small clause that raises the departure fee for any school wanting to leave to $50 million. And yes, it's enforceable...to everyone, including Notre Dame.

So if you are in. You are in. You aren't leaving. There will be no SEC raiding North Carolina and Virginia Tech. The Big 10 or Big East....naw, ain't happening. The ACC now has 15 teams, and they won't be less than 15 teams anytime in the foreseeable future.

What does Notre Dame get out of this? All the benefits of being in the ACC without "Technically" locking their football team into the ACC. Yes, they play 5 conference teams now every year. And yes, they get to be part of the Orange Bowl options. But they don't have to be.

So tell us something we don't know: Could we have the ACC on NBC? Yes, yes we could.

Why? Because the addition of Notre Dame and we're guessing the eventual addition of...say...Louisville, will make the ACC a 16-team conference. And just by coincidence, that allows the ACC to renegotiate the deal they just cut with ESPN. And with Notre Dame part of the mix, you can bet your sweet patootie, NBC will pay what ever they can to get that deal away from the 4-letter word.

Think about it. We can only hope someone breaks ties with the Bristol Behemoth, and changes the sports TV landscape.

In summary: You will have at least a 15-team ACC next season. Galactic Realignment is almost over...because now there really isn't anyone else in play. If you follow a Big East team, well, you need to be nervous, very nervous. Your new football powerhouse is Cincinnati oh, and Boise State. The Bearcats have been consistently decent for the past several years, but half the ACC and most of the SEC would beat them every time they play. And folks, being great in basketball is great, but football is where the money is.

College Football is now essentially 5 "Power Conferences" (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, SEC and PAC-12) and then everybody else.

Your winners: The ACC. John Swofford. Notre Dame, who gets to keep their NBC deal and all the money associated with it.

Your losers: The Big East. They have NO football juice. At all. Boise State. Yes, Boise State. They got antsy and jumped to the Big East without thinking it through. If they waited, they would become the biggest power-in-play left. Now they are stuck in a conference that is basically the Mountain West or Conference USA in Football.

ESPN. We hope they lose. We, nor any other TRUE sports fan wants them dominating the entire landscape. Competition is good and the 4-letter has gotten lazy and complacent. They just buy everything, dictate the schedule and don't apologize for pushing their teams and their games at the expense of anything on another network. And that, while we understand competition, is wrong.

TWTW Friday: Boise and The Vols

Boise State has never been one to shy away from their match-ups and have encouraged, really, wanting to play outside the Mountain West before their appearance in the Big Least East Conference for football only...

So, they went to Michigan State to take on Sparty with a new quarterback that wasn't named Kellen Moore...
((HT: KTVB-TV))

And then, there's the beginning of what could be Derek Dooley's last season in Knoxville- and he actually won at the Georgia Dome as part of their double-header weekend in Atlanta... NC State was the victim 35-21, thanks to Cordarrelle Patterson The fans were orange with joy... ((HT: WBIR-TV))
Other winnners Friday actually included FAU, Temple, and Stanford...

Boise State Exits Mountain West

((HT: KBOI-TV))

This was one of the larger questions of Galactic Realignment- would the teams out west actually file paperwork and work their way to the Big East for football by the fall of 2013...

At least, Boise State- the largest wildcard in the bunch- decided to beat the dealine late last night to say "yes."

Had they waited until July 1, it would have increased their exit fee incrementally to $US5-million they had to pay the MWC from the zero-dollar fee plus the loss of US$2.5-million in revenue by making it last night...

Here's Troy Oppie...


The larger question is now: Where will Boise head for all of their other sports...? They'd like to go to the Big West, but that's still up in the air.

Report: Boise St. not out of MWC yet; dealine looms

((ht: cbssports.com/mcmurphy))

Well, nothing like waiting to the last minute.

The clock is ticking on Boise State's intended move to the Big East conference. The Broncos have stated their intent to move for the 2013-14 season.

One problem: They haven't moved out of the Mountain West Conference yet. And if they don't do it by July 1st, the cost of moving goes up...exponentially.

The other problem and probable hold up: Finding a home for their other sports.

You see, Boise wants to make the move so they can be an "Automatic Qualifier" for a national championship. So they moved to the Big East, which despite its lack of competitiveness for such a title, is an "AQ" conference.

But....Boise doesn't want to move the rest of their sports east...which would be extremely "Cost Prohibitive". They want to relocate them in the neutered Western Athletic Conference...which at the current time consists of only 5 teams.

So there within lies the dilemma.

CBSSports.com's Brett McMurphy gives the detailed explainer RIGHT HERE

If you ever want a "Poster Child" for Galactic Realignment for the sake of money...this is it. While we get Boise's want to be an "AQ" school and realize they've had a pretty good argument the past couple years for inclusion on their own, this is a bad idea.

In fact, we think it is such a colossally bad idea that we'll go out on a limb and say it will never happen. We'll go even further and say this: "Don't be surprised if Boise gets a look from the Big 12 who are 10." It makes more sense on pretty much every level. And they don't have to split the Sports. The travel makes sense and the "AQ" status along with the money works too.

There of course is only one catch: Do they want to take 2nd or even 3rd billing to Texas and Oklahoma. Because even if UT and OU suck, they still are the top priority for the conference. Everyone else as we've seen time and time again...is on their own.

Because we can...and it fits:

Boise State having second thoughts about Big East move

((ht: cbssports.com/mcmurphy))


Galactic realignment: (a)The tectonic shift in the continents that make up College Football (b) The sometimes senseless and always profit-driven move of schools from one conference to another to improve their bowl eligibility.

We wanted to clear that up before moving forward.

Why are we moving forward?

Well, it appears one of the bigger chess pieces in the shifting of conferences is either having second thoughts or problems.

Reports from the King of Realignment, Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.com indicate that Boise State has yet to withdraw from their current conference, The Mountain West, to make the move in 2013 to the Big East official.

We might remind everyone though, that move is only effective in Football. Basketball, baseball and the other sports are not included. And if/when Boise leaves the MWC, those teams go with them.

Apparently, the Big East is trying to help them relocate those Sports to the WAC...but the WAC may not be intact much longer.

And yes, according to the Idaho Statesman, it would cost the Broncos $5 million of they back out of the deal with the Big East now, $10 million if they make the move official first.

We might also add that reports are surfacing the Big East has some other issues. Apparently Louisville and Connecticut are making it be known they'd like to leave.

Those moves would have a huge impact on TV deals...because as we've learned, that is what College Football/ESPN's College Football is all about.

We can think of no video more fitting at the moment:

OSG Buzzer Beater: Boise State On The Marks To Beat Colorado State

You think of Boise State as a football school but they play basketball their too. This year the Broncos aren't very good.

Boise State did make it entertaining Wednesday night against Mountain West rival Colorado State. Down by one with time running out Bronco freshman Derrick Marks dribbled the length of the court and scored the game winner.

Here's the highlights including the game winner. (Thanks KTVB Boise, ID)



"Coach told me to get the ball and make a play,” Marks told the Idaho Statesman after the game. “I saw that the left side was open, so I drove the ball and made the play. It was great.”

Boise State is now 12-12 on the year, 2-7 in the Mountain West Conference

Moore, Boise Punt Arizona State For 50th Career Win

((HT: KTVB-TV))

For a lot of people, this was the "35" point game if you were playing in one of those post-season confidence pools...

Just for craps-and-giggles, of course, not for any kind of financial windfall... and, if you did, you were right on as Boise State was challenged at points, but not completely challenged...

If you get the HQ's drift...

Kellen Moore got his 50th career win for the Broncos as they manhandled the Sun Devils and their tacky, new uniforms 56-24 in the Vegas-played car care bowl game- and, to be honest, it wasn't even that close...

Here's Moore reflecting on his career- three losses by a total of five points... but, as TBH says, what do they call those three losses by a total of five points...???

Losses...